The present invention relates to a device for supporting golf clubs and in particular to a device for holding golf clubs in a desired position when the clubs are stored in a golf bag.
To appropriately play the game of golf, it is well known that a player must normally have available a number of different clubs with each club used for playing different types of shots. One type of well known club is the playing iron. A set of irons will normally comprise a number of clubs of varying head angle with each club numbered in order of increasing head angle to allow for easy identification of the club by the player.
Golf clubs are normally carried in a golf bag. Most golf bags are generally of some tubular design and are carried by the player, placed on a buggy and pulled or pushed by the player, or attached to a golf buggy that is normally electrically powered and driven around the golf course. In most golf bags one or two partitions are normally provided adjacent the mouth of the bag to provide some support for the clubs. The partitions do not, however, prevent the clubs impacting one another and potentially damaging either the heads or shafts of the clubs as the bag or individual clubs are moved. The partitions also do not provide any means for orderly storing the clubs in a bag or prevent the clubs falling from the bag if it is laid down on its long side.
A number of devices have been proposed for holding the clubs in place in a golf bag. The devices tend to be one of two main types. The first type comprises a plate member that tends to cover all or the majority of the mouth of the bag. The plate normally has a number of orifices through which the handle and shaft of a club may be slid so that the club head rests on, in or near the plate member. Examples of this type of club holder are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,207, U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,131, U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,102 and U.S. 5,228,566.
The second type of holder normally comprises an array of slots or notches into each of which the head of a club can be placed. Normally, sufficient slots are provided for at least an average set of playing irons. The slots can also be adapted so as to direct the player to place the right club head in the right slot and so provide some order to the storage of the clubs in the golf bag. Examples of this type of holder are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,436,687, U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,227, U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,212 and WO 95/20999.
The present invention is directed to an alternative holder for golf clubs.
According to a first aspect, the present invention comprises a device for supporting golf clubs, where each club comprises a shaft and a head, the device including a base member and a plurality of dividers extending outwardly from the base member, at least one divider having a concave face and an adjacent divider having a generally oppositely facing convex face, the dividers being positioned so as to define therebetween a space for receiving a club head.
The combination of the concave face and adjacent convex face serves to provide a cleating arrangement for the club head, with the club head held by relative small portions of the concave and convex faces.
In a preferred embodiment, each of the dividers has a first concave face and a generally opposite facing second convex face, such that the space defined between each pair of dividers of the device is defined by a concave and convex face.
Each space defined by a pair of dividers can be adapted to accommodate a specific club type. For example, each space can be adapted to accommodate a club having a specific club head of a particular loft angle. The base member preferably has a sufficient number of dividers to provide a number of spaces suitable for a typical set of golfing irons. In one particular embodiment, the base member has ten dividers defining in total nine club head spaces.
In one embodiment the dividers can be longitudinally aligned so as to form a rack for supporting the club heads. In one embodiment, the device can be integrally formed with or moulded to a golf bag.
In another embodiment, the base member can be mounted to the golf bag. In this second embodiment, the base member can have at least two leg members that are attachable to a golf bag. In a preferred embodiment, one leg can extend in a direction generally opposite to that of the outwardly extending dividers from a position at or adjacent a first end of the base member. Preferably, a second leg can extend in a direction generally opposite to that of the outwardly extending dividers from a position at or adjacent a second end of the base member. In one embodiment, these legs can be adjustable in length or position relative to the base member. At or adjacent the ends of the leg members distal the base member, the leg members are preferably provided with attaching means such that the leg members can be attached to a golf bag or other structure. The attaching means for each leg can comprise a clamp or pincer but other attaching means can be readily envisaged. In use, the leg members are preferably attached to the golf bag such that the base member is disposed above but relatively near the mouth of the bag. Other positions for the base member relative to the mouth of the bag can again also be readily envisaged.
The leg member at or adjacent the first end of the base member is preferably shorter than the leg member at the second end of the base member such that the base member is disposed at an angle to a notional plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the golf bag. This is advantageous as different golf clubs do come in different lengths, with the smaller the loft angle of the club head face, typically the longer the shaft of the club. While one of the spaces between the dividers must be at a height to accommodate the club having the longest shaft, it is not necessary for the remaining club heads to be positioned so distal the mouth of the golf bag. By setting the base member at an angle to the mouth of the bag, the centre of gravity of a set of club heads, when in an upright orientation. once placed in the bag is lowered compared to an arrangement where each of the heads are at all equal distance from the mouth of the bag. By providing legs of different lengths such that the base member is angled to the bag mouth, the length of the base member can be greater than if the base member was substantially parallel to the plane of the bag mouth. This increase in length allows the device to accommodate more clubs than if it was not the case.
In addition to the leas as defined above the base member can have a third leg disposed approximately midway between the first and second legs. This third leg also preferably has an attaching means distal the base member to allow attachment of the leg to the rim of the mouth of a golf bag. The third leg can be adjustable in length or position so as to allow the base member to be attached to bag mouths of varying shapes and dimensions.
In an alternative embodiment, the dividers can be disposed on an annular base member. In this embodiment, the base member can have a lower surface adapted to engage directly or indirectly with the rim of the mouth of the golf bag.
Each divider can be formed integrally with the base member or can be formed separately and then later attached to the base member in a suitable manner. The dimensions of each divider preferably decrease in both width and thickness away from an end integral with or attached to the base member to an end distal the base member. If a divider is viewed in end elevational view the divider decreases in width towards the distal end with the sides of the divider being preferably continuously curved with the curvature in one embodiment substantially parabolic. In side elevational view, the thickness of the divider also decreases towards the distal end, with the decrease preferably being smoothly tapering from the base member to the distal end.
The distance of each divider between the base member and the distal end of the divider can be between 40 and 50mm, and is more preferably about 45 mm. The width of each divider again where it joins the base member can be between about 40 and 60 mm, and is more preferably about 50 mm.
In a preferred embodiment of the device, the distance of separation between each pair of dividers measured where the dividers meet the base member (ie the distance between the convex face of one divider and the adjacent concave face of another divider where the dividers meet the base member) is substantially similar and more preferably the same. The measured distance between the dividers where they meet the base member can lie in the range 0 to 20 mm more preferably 1 to 6 mm, and most preferably is about 2 mm. The distance between each pair of convex faces can lie in the range 20 to 30 mm, and is more preferably about 24 mm.
With the device mounted to the mouth of the bag, the base member is preferably at an angle of between 10 and 40 degrees, more preferably between 20 and 30 degrees, and most preferable about 25 degrees to a notional plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the bag. The measured angle between the longitudinal axis of the convex face and true vertical, when the device is placed on a bag at an angle of about 25 degrees to the notional plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bag. preferably varies from the first end of the base member to its second end. In a preferred embodiment when mounted on the device, the angle between the convex face and true vertical preferably decreases from the first end to the second end. In the embodiment where ten dividers are provided in the device, the angle to vertical of the first to tenth convex faces can be as follows:
The angle of the convex face of a particular divider can be less than the loft angle of the club that would be expected to be stored in the space such that the ball-striking face of the club head contacts that convex surface. This is advantageous as the club head is placed in the device it causes a slight deflection of the divider which serves to increase the frictional engagement between the head and the dividers into which it has been brought into contact.
Each divider can be moulded from a suitable polymeric or elastomeric material. In a preferred embodiment, the dividers are formed from a resiliently flexible material. A natural or synthetic rubber a polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride are materials that could be used in the present invention. It is also envisaged that the concave and convex faces could be covered at least in part by a plurality of nodules that serve to increase the frictional engagement of the faces with the club head.
In use, the angle of the convex face of the divider and the curvature of the convex face result in this face preferably contacting the ball-striking surface of a club that is placed in the space adjacent the convex face. Preferably, contact is made between the ball-striking surface of the club and the convex face at least one location on the convex face. The one location is preferably adjacent the centre of the convex face approximately equidistant from the respective side walls of the divider. When placed in the space, the rear surface of the club head adjacent the bottom edge of the club also preferably contacts the surface of the concave face of the adjacent divider in two locations, namely adjacent the respective side edges of that divider. The engagement of the head of the club at these at least three locations serves to effectively grip the head of the club that is placed in the space.
According to a second aspect, the present invention comprises a device for supporting golf clubs, where each club comprises a shaft and a head having a front and rear face, the device including a base member, a plurality of dividers extending outwardly from the base member, each of the base members having a first face and a second generally oppositely facing second face, the dividers being positioned so as to define therebetween a space for receiving a club head, the first face being adapted to engage the rear face of the club at two locations and the second face being adapted to engage the front face of the club at one location.